Government needs its own television station to speak directly to the public ?in an unmediated and unedited fashion?, Premier Alex Scott claimed yesterday.

But the Opposition labelled the proposed TV station ? on which Government plans to spend $840,000 this year ? a ?wasteful propaganda exercise?.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr. Scott likened his job to being CEO of a large, modern day corporation in an era of sound-bites and provocative headlines.

However, a Premier came under the close, daily scrutiny of the media ? and could be the victim of a ?media feeding frenzy? ? more than any CEO, he said.

This was why the Cabinet Office ? of which the Department of Communication and Information (DCI) was one of five Cabinet Departments ? was needed, he said.

?Don?t go by our press, go by our practice,? he declared.

?Historically the Government has placed the entire responsibility of delivering its message to the people of this country in the hands of Bermuda?s media,? Mr. Scott said during the Budget Debate on the Cabinet Office.

?While the Government thanks the members of Bermuda?s free press for the public service that they provide for disseminating information, the Government feels it prudent and necessary to speak on a regular basis directly to the people of this country, in an unmediated and unedited fashion.?

?A total of $840,000 had been allotted for the equipment purchase and installation for the proposed station which will be built by the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing,? he said.

?The Government Television Station will be the key pillar in the Government?s intention to communicate more effectively and strategically with the people of this country,? he said. ?It will provide a medium for the leaders of Bermuda to detail what the Government is doing, the status of Government initiatives, and the level of progress in reaching important goals for Bermuda.?

The ?long-overdue? station also gave Government a chance to showcase its relationship with businesses and community organisations.

Other stations around the world were considered, including: the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, GOVTV, a local Government Access Channel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN), Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

?It was acknowledged that overall, mass media/the press are the primary sources of information. However, virtually everyone said that they believe news coverage to be controlled and likely to be biased,? he said.

However, Opposition Leadersaid he would pull the plug on a Government TV station if he was elected to power.

?Don?t get equipment that will last a long period of time,? Mr. Furbert quipped. ?It would only last a year. It would not last too much longer. That will be the first thing that will be going.

While he said understood why Government wanted to get its message across, as it had not been successful in talking about the second senior school which had not offered promised public tours ? he said a TV station was not the answer.

?What you need to do is knock on doors and talk to people face to face,? he said. ?When was the last time MPs from that side went to their constituents and met face to face??

Mr. Furbert asked why Government did not use existing television stations.

Minister of Telecommunications and E-Commerce said Government TV was a necessary and excellent idea.

He predicted Government TV would be a ?hit?.

?For the UBP to suggest that the civil service ? who will be in charge of the content will somehow capture political messages is not credible,? he said.

Shadow Minister of Home Affairs said if the PLP wanted to broadcast its message it should stay away from the public purse.

?This is simply not what Government funds are meant for,? he said. ?Why not open your own newspaper. Or will that be next??

Mr. Burgess said he took knocks from the press too when he was Minister.

?declared itself the official Opposition because the PLP was not strong enough to be an Opposition,? he said. ?I did not conclude even then the answer was to open up a station or head to a Government paper. What we need is to have accountability at a Ministerial level a lot better than it is now. And if the Minister can?t deliver the message, get someone who can!?

There had been a 222 percent increase in Cabinet staff training to $40,000, he said, and asked whether this was to fund movie stars for Government TV.

Minister without Portfolio said the British Broadcasting Corporation put out clear, balanced messages.

?With DCI doing an excellent job it gives them an extra arm to help convey the message,? Mr. Lister said. Government would ?fairly? portray facts to the outside world to help it understand where we are, he said.

?Most countries have gone this way. It will enable us to communicate with the people without a lot of spin,? he said, bringing laughter from Opposition backbencher .

Dr. Gibbons said Government TV was an ?extraordinarily wasteful propaganda exercise?.

Government backbencher said Government had the right to shut down any website if it showed anything offensive, in the public interest.

?If Limey in Bermuda is being offensive then bring it to the attention of the Minister and action will be taken,? she said.